(Inuyasha and Co do not belong to me. I just like to write about them. I'm taking sort of a cue from the many IY animes I've seen and backtrack ever so slightly. Oh and in the battle, in general when I'm referring to Onigumo, he is still in Jaken's body mostly. .But eee! I have done the evil Naraku thing and once again have left a cliffhanger!! )
Kanashimi no Hate ni - End To Sorrow - Twenty-Eight
Defeat of Sesshoumaru/Onigumo's Triumph
"You invade my lands.." Sesshoumaru growled. "You posess MY servant, you dare to steal what is Sesshoumaru's - you will wish for death before I am through!"
Jaken/Onigumo stood, his great height obscuring the moon above.
"Come, Sesshoumaru, let us fight for everything you hold dear - then I shall be the victor! This night I shall take your woman with your own body!"
"Yaaaaaa!" Sesshoumaru felt rage boil within him and for the first time in his life, he felt his well-taught control was slipping from him.
"Sesshoumaru! Noooo!" Kagome screamed.
Sesshoumaru charged into Jaken/Onigumo with his claws extended, his hands green from the poison boiling from them. But Onigumo grinned as he stopped the demon-lord in his tracks, stopping his hands from his intended target.
"You really think you have a chance, Sesshoumaru?" Onigumo pushed Sesshoumaru back a step. It was then that Kagome swept past Onigumo, slashing the Tetsusaiga fang at his ankle, causing Onigumo to lose his balance and his grip upon Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru snarled as he knocked Onigumo to the ground, and his claws headed towards his face.
Onigumo turned at the last minute as Sesshoumaru's claws dug deep into the ground instead.
"I'm not so easy to kill, Sesshoumaru.." Onigumo grinned. "Besides, IF you kill me, you kill your faithful servant!"
"I have no sentiments, bastard.." Sesshoumaru pulled his claws out of the ground, but Onigumo moved quickly - more quickly than Sesshoumaru ever could and pushed the demon-lord away. Sesshoumaru leaped up in the air and when he came down, he had his own sword fang out. His eyes glittered dangerously and Kagome could see the blood-lust within them.
~He's just like Inuyasha!~ Kagome thought. ~He feels nothing but the bloodlust!~
He came down but Kagome countered his slash with the Tetsusaiga - right before Onigumo brought out his hand and wind flew from his greenish fingertips. The wind slashed through the grass, actually cutting it and Kagome knew that the razor sharp winds had been meant for Sesshoumaru.
"Damn you!" Sesshoumaru spat at Kagome. "Do not interfere, woman. I do not need your help!"
"Yes you do! You can't fight against the Shikon - not when it's complete!" Kagome screamed back.
"He's right.." Onigumo smirked."I'm just playing with you demon-lord..you want to know where your little human is?"
"Stay - here - Kagome.." Sesshoumaru flew at Onigumo again, his sword poised to cleave Onigumo in two.
"Hyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!" Sesshoumaru screamed as he brought his sword down upon Onigumo, splitting him neatly down the center. Blood gushed in great gouts upon the grass and Kagome watched spellbound. Sesshoumaru had done it! But surely -
~Stupid Kagome!~ She thought. ~The Shikon no Tama! I must retrieve it before he revives!~
Sesshoumaru landed just beyond the split carcass, a slight smirk of satisfaction upon his face. But damn him, this did not help him to find where Rin was. It was then that he saw Kagome run with the Tetsusaiga past him towards the split carcass and saw that she was trying to reach the Shikon no Tama.
Sesshoumaru felt his hair stand on end. "No - Kagome!" He sprinted after her quickly.
"The Shikon no Tama at last!" Kagome's fingertips touched where the Shikon still lay on the grass, when a hand grasped her ankle and she fell heavily, Tetsusaiga spinning out of her grasp as a wind blew it beyond her reach. She twisted her body and saw in horror that half of Onigumo had come back to life and he was grinning at her as each half sat up and started to piece itself together, the Shikon no Tama flying up into his forehead once more. Onigumo still held Kagome by the ankle, as she narrowed her eyes, trying to claw him. The creature that was part Jaken and all Onigumo grinned at her efforts, for she could not do much damage to him.
Sesshoumaru growled deeply in his throat, his sword ready to dice this bastard as he flew at Onigumo, who was now standing, still holding Kagome up by the ankle. His other hand he held open as a small sphere flew into. Smiling, Onigumo tossed the sphere into Sesshoumaru's path, but the youkai was intent upon Onigumo instead. Kagome watched with horror as she realized just who was in the sphere.
"Rin!! Sesshoumaru! Rin's in the sphere! Stop!!!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, but he had already swung his sword. It headed for the small sphere, where it would neatly cleave it - and Rin in half. At the last second however, Onigumo whisked it away and pulled it back into his hand. Sesshoumaru was momentarily frozen in place.
"Toss your swords away, youkai.." Onigumo smirked as he saw the look of anger and frustration in Sesshoumaru's eyes.
Sesshoumaru did not move. Instead he said, "Do you think I'm stupid like you? You won't hurt Kagome and as for Rin.." He paused.
"You have no affection for her?" Onigumo tossed the small sphere up and down. "Then you will not mind if I do this?" Onigumo started to squeeze the small sphere inperceptively and Sesshoumaru could hear Rin's cries within it. Agony. Now he knew why he had not cared for so long.
It hurt and it crippled. Made you weak.
He, Sesshoumaru could not be weak.
But she would die horribly and Kagome would never forgive him for that. HE would never forgive himself for that.
But he could not give up his swords. The Tetsusaiga was already down, sticking out of the ground just beyond. He could retrieve it but then he knew it'd be too late for Rin.
Could he just let Rin die? She was just a human. A human that would die eventually. A human that would grow old while he stayed young.
"Sesshoumaru.." Onigumo's voice taunted, still gripping the sphere that Rin was in. "Do you really want to be responsible for - "
Kagome slashed at Onigumo's stomach and he growled in pain, jerking Kagome up higher to his face.
"You'll pay for that, little bitch.." Onigumo saw Sesshoumaru move quickly as if to tackle him once more and he held the sphere with Rin in it high above his head.
"Oh no you don't!" Onigumo moved his hand away with lightning speed to where Sesshoumaru could not reach it. Onigumo opened his mouth with a grin, threw the sphere into the air where it headed straight for his open mouth.
"No!!" Kagome wildly reached for the sphere.
"I will GUT your stomach, BASTARD!!" Sesshoumaru charged again, but before the sphere could drop into Onigumo's waiting mouth, something very small and very quick leaped up and caught the sphere.
"Shippo!!" Kagome cried out in relief. The little kitsume scampered away, his tail the only thing that Kagome could catch. She knew he would get Rin to safety.
And then Sesshoumaru knocked Onigumo down once more, his eyes ablaze in such complete anger that his eyes were red. Kagome landed with a thud, but she managed to break free. Running for the Tetsusaiga,she saw the two wrestle with each other and it looked like Sesshoumaru had the advantage, for when she ran back towards them, he held his sword at Onigumo's throat, his grin a deadly feral one. With one swipe he would rid this Onigumo and put Jaken out of his misery.
He prepared to take Onigumo's life, the blade cutting into the tough flesh, Sesshoumaru's bloodlust giving him an extra edge.
"Now..you die.." Sesshoumaru's eyes were aglow.
Onigumo smiled and Kagome saw his eyes change.
~Mirrors? Mirrors! Kanna!!~ Kagome remembered Kanna and her soul-stealing mirror, and how her soul had been drawn into it's depths.
"Sesshoumaru! Don't look! Don't look into his eyes!!" Kagome shrieked as she, in desperation, threw the Tetsusaiga in a spin to at least at the demon lord's attention.
But it was too late. Sesshoumaru was trapped by the mirrors in Onigumo's eyes, and his soul started to pull out of his body slowly as if it struggled to stay. He was frozen in place and did not feel the Tetsusaiga as it hit his back and fell to the ground with a clatter.
~Oh god!~ Kagome felt panic and then she felt anger. "You won't take his soul, Onigumo!!!" She ran swiftly and grabbed Sesshoumaru's body, pulling him away from Onigumo's grasp, and she saw the Shikon no Tama deep in his forehead gleam darkly. She didn't care at the moment, only concerned for Sesshoumaru. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw how pale Sesshoumaru was and then she saw the wisp of something brush past her.
"No, NO!! NO! Sesshoumaru!! Nooooo!!!!" Kagome screamed as she saw Sesshoumaru's soul drawn in the Shikon no Tama itself. She looked down at Sesshoumaru's lifeless body and for the first time since she was drawn here, she felt the deepest of despair. Kagome cradled Sesshoumaru's body, her tears flowing from her eyes.
"Sesshoumaru.." She murmured.
Onigumo felt jealousy as he saw Kagome holding Sesshoumaru. Even in death, the bastard still held her heart! No matter. It was time to discard this body. He stood over Kagome, and said with a smile. "Do not cry..he will be alive soon enough."
Kagome's eyes narrowed and Onigumo could see the color deepen and darken like a stormy sea.
"You - bastard. You horrible bastard!" She shrieked as she pulled away from Sesshoumaru's lifeless body. "I will KILL you!!!!" A snarl came from Kagome's lips as her hair turned the solid silver-white of the demoness, and the stripes appeared on her face and wrists. Onigumo stepped back, entranced by her beauty, but he would not have her disobeying him - not now!
Kagome flew in mid-air intending to crash into Onigumo, her rage taking over completely. And then she saw the small sphere that contained her family and her friends that was in Onigumo's hand once more.
"Stop!" Onigumo ordered.
"No..." Kagome crashed to the ground, her rage disappearing as she saw them helpless in Onigumo's grasp. She was still tempered by her bonds as a human and where Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru would have gone beserk, Kagome could not - not completely.
Onigumo smiled evily at Kagome and said, "I admit you are delightful as a demon, Kagome..but you must be punished for your interference. I did warn you."
"Don't." Kagome held out her hand. "Don't hurt them. They've done nothing to you."
"Oh but they have in a sense. After all, why should they enjoy their lives when I, Onigumo had suffered?"
"Let them go." Kagome said firmly. "If it is me you want, Onigumo, then fine. Let them go." Kagome meant what she said. If she could make Onigumo believe that he had won, then she would get Sesshoumaru's soul back into his body. But she had to release the hold that he had on her friends and her family.
"But I already have you.." Onigumo's face broke into a nasty smile, made even nastier by the fact that it was in Jaken's face. He looked into the clear black sphere and mused.
"I think your friends are a bit - cold. Perhaps a warm - fire will do..."
"NO!" Kagome looked horrified and tried to reach for the sphere, but Onigumo tossed her aside, slamming her into one of the trees. Bending to Sesshoumaru's body, he retrieved the whip that the youkai-lord had used, and with one flick of the whip, he tied Kagome to the tree. She could not move, for Sesshoumaru's whip had been designed to paralyze it's victims.
"And now..I think we should make this a bit bigger - so that you can see more clearly, miko-incarnate." Onigumo gazed at the sphere and it grew just enough so that she could see them - her family, Sango and Miroku, trying to find some way to break free.
It was then that Kagome saw the fire within the sphere and her soul trembled in agony as she saw them scream....
Walking to Sesshoumaru, he rolled the demon-lord over and lifted him high in the air where he hung suspended. Onigumo's eyes gleamed as he stared at Sesshoumaru for a moment and then closed his eyes for the briefest of moments as he chanted something. Onigumo's life force and that of the youkai souls flew from Jaken to Sesshoumaru and Kagome managed to tear herself away from the small sphere to where she saw with horror the exchange. She saw Sesshoumaru's body start breathing once more and Jaken's body grow smaller, back to it's original size as the Shikon no Tama pulled out of Jaken's forehead. When the transfer was complete, Jaken fell to the ground with a thump and Kagome could not be sure if he was dead or not, but she could not take her eyes off of the being that dwelled in Sesshoumaru's body. He held the Shikon no Tama just above his slender clawed hand and he looked sideways at Kagome as his long silver hair blew gently in the wind.
And then Onigumo laughed, his deep voice echoing in the night..
Kanashimi no Hate ni - End To Sorrow - Twenty-Eight
Defeat of Sesshoumaru/Onigumo's Triumph
"You invade my lands.." Sesshoumaru growled. "You posess MY servant, you dare to steal what is Sesshoumaru's - you will wish for death before I am through!"
Jaken/Onigumo stood, his great height obscuring the moon above.
"Come, Sesshoumaru, let us fight for everything you hold dear - then I shall be the victor! This night I shall take your woman with your own body!"
"Yaaaaaa!" Sesshoumaru felt rage boil within him and for the first time in his life, he felt his well-taught control was slipping from him.
"Sesshoumaru! Noooo!" Kagome screamed.
Sesshoumaru charged into Jaken/Onigumo with his claws extended, his hands green from the poison boiling from them. But Onigumo grinned as he stopped the demon-lord in his tracks, stopping his hands from his intended target.
"You really think you have a chance, Sesshoumaru?" Onigumo pushed Sesshoumaru back a step. It was then that Kagome swept past Onigumo, slashing the Tetsusaiga fang at his ankle, causing Onigumo to lose his balance and his grip upon Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru snarled as he knocked Onigumo to the ground, and his claws headed towards his face.
Onigumo turned at the last minute as Sesshoumaru's claws dug deep into the ground instead.
"I'm not so easy to kill, Sesshoumaru.." Onigumo grinned. "Besides, IF you kill me, you kill your faithful servant!"
"I have no sentiments, bastard.." Sesshoumaru pulled his claws out of the ground, but Onigumo moved quickly - more quickly than Sesshoumaru ever could and pushed the demon-lord away. Sesshoumaru leaped up in the air and when he came down, he had his own sword fang out. His eyes glittered dangerously and Kagome could see the blood-lust within them.
~He's just like Inuyasha!~ Kagome thought. ~He feels nothing but the bloodlust!~
He came down but Kagome countered his slash with the Tetsusaiga - right before Onigumo brought out his hand and wind flew from his greenish fingertips. The wind slashed through the grass, actually cutting it and Kagome knew that the razor sharp winds had been meant for Sesshoumaru.
"Damn you!" Sesshoumaru spat at Kagome. "Do not interfere, woman. I do not need your help!"
"Yes you do! You can't fight against the Shikon - not when it's complete!" Kagome screamed back.
"He's right.." Onigumo smirked."I'm just playing with you demon-lord..you want to know where your little human is?"
"Stay - here - Kagome.." Sesshoumaru flew at Onigumo again, his sword poised to cleave Onigumo in two.
"Hyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!" Sesshoumaru screamed as he brought his sword down upon Onigumo, splitting him neatly down the center. Blood gushed in great gouts upon the grass and Kagome watched spellbound. Sesshoumaru had done it! But surely -
~Stupid Kagome!~ She thought. ~The Shikon no Tama! I must retrieve it before he revives!~
Sesshoumaru landed just beyond the split carcass, a slight smirk of satisfaction upon his face. But damn him, this did not help him to find where Rin was. It was then that he saw Kagome run with the Tetsusaiga past him towards the split carcass and saw that she was trying to reach the Shikon no Tama.
Sesshoumaru felt his hair stand on end. "No - Kagome!" He sprinted after her quickly.
"The Shikon no Tama at last!" Kagome's fingertips touched where the Shikon still lay on the grass, when a hand grasped her ankle and she fell heavily, Tetsusaiga spinning out of her grasp as a wind blew it beyond her reach. She twisted her body and saw in horror that half of Onigumo had come back to life and he was grinning at her as each half sat up and started to piece itself together, the Shikon no Tama flying up into his forehead once more. Onigumo still held Kagome by the ankle, as she narrowed her eyes, trying to claw him. The creature that was part Jaken and all Onigumo grinned at her efforts, for she could not do much damage to him.
Sesshoumaru growled deeply in his throat, his sword ready to dice this bastard as he flew at Onigumo, who was now standing, still holding Kagome up by the ankle. His other hand he held open as a small sphere flew into. Smiling, Onigumo tossed the sphere into Sesshoumaru's path, but the youkai was intent upon Onigumo instead. Kagome watched with horror as she realized just who was in the sphere.
"Rin!! Sesshoumaru! Rin's in the sphere! Stop!!!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, but he had already swung his sword. It headed for the small sphere, where it would neatly cleave it - and Rin in half. At the last second however, Onigumo whisked it away and pulled it back into his hand. Sesshoumaru was momentarily frozen in place.
"Toss your swords away, youkai.." Onigumo smirked as he saw the look of anger and frustration in Sesshoumaru's eyes.
Sesshoumaru did not move. Instead he said, "Do you think I'm stupid like you? You won't hurt Kagome and as for Rin.." He paused.
"You have no affection for her?" Onigumo tossed the small sphere up and down. "Then you will not mind if I do this?" Onigumo started to squeeze the small sphere inperceptively and Sesshoumaru could hear Rin's cries within it. Agony. Now he knew why he had not cared for so long.
It hurt and it crippled. Made you weak.
He, Sesshoumaru could not be weak.
But she would die horribly and Kagome would never forgive him for that. HE would never forgive himself for that.
But he could not give up his swords. The Tetsusaiga was already down, sticking out of the ground just beyond. He could retrieve it but then he knew it'd be too late for Rin.
Could he just let Rin die? She was just a human. A human that would die eventually. A human that would grow old while he stayed young.
"Sesshoumaru.." Onigumo's voice taunted, still gripping the sphere that Rin was in. "Do you really want to be responsible for - "
Kagome slashed at Onigumo's stomach and he growled in pain, jerking Kagome up higher to his face.
"You'll pay for that, little bitch.." Onigumo saw Sesshoumaru move quickly as if to tackle him once more and he held the sphere with Rin in it high above his head.
"Oh no you don't!" Onigumo moved his hand away with lightning speed to where Sesshoumaru could not reach it. Onigumo opened his mouth with a grin, threw the sphere into the air where it headed straight for his open mouth.
"No!!" Kagome wildly reached for the sphere.
"I will GUT your stomach, BASTARD!!" Sesshoumaru charged again, but before the sphere could drop into Onigumo's waiting mouth, something very small and very quick leaped up and caught the sphere.
"Shippo!!" Kagome cried out in relief. The little kitsume scampered away, his tail the only thing that Kagome could catch. She knew he would get Rin to safety.
And then Sesshoumaru knocked Onigumo down once more, his eyes ablaze in such complete anger that his eyes were red. Kagome landed with a thud, but she managed to break free. Running for the Tetsusaiga,she saw the two wrestle with each other and it looked like Sesshoumaru had the advantage, for when she ran back towards them, he held his sword at Onigumo's throat, his grin a deadly feral one. With one swipe he would rid this Onigumo and put Jaken out of his misery.
He prepared to take Onigumo's life, the blade cutting into the tough flesh, Sesshoumaru's bloodlust giving him an extra edge.
"Now..you die.." Sesshoumaru's eyes were aglow.
Onigumo smiled and Kagome saw his eyes change.
~Mirrors? Mirrors! Kanna!!~ Kagome remembered Kanna and her soul-stealing mirror, and how her soul had been drawn into it's depths.
"Sesshoumaru! Don't look! Don't look into his eyes!!" Kagome shrieked as she, in desperation, threw the Tetsusaiga in a spin to at least at the demon lord's attention.
But it was too late. Sesshoumaru was trapped by the mirrors in Onigumo's eyes, and his soul started to pull out of his body slowly as if it struggled to stay. He was frozen in place and did not feel the Tetsusaiga as it hit his back and fell to the ground with a clatter.
~Oh god!~ Kagome felt panic and then she felt anger. "You won't take his soul, Onigumo!!!" She ran swiftly and grabbed Sesshoumaru's body, pulling him away from Onigumo's grasp, and she saw the Shikon no Tama deep in his forehead gleam darkly. She didn't care at the moment, only concerned for Sesshoumaru. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw how pale Sesshoumaru was and then she saw the wisp of something brush past her.
"No, NO!! NO! Sesshoumaru!! Nooooo!!!!" Kagome screamed as she saw Sesshoumaru's soul drawn in the Shikon no Tama itself. She looked down at Sesshoumaru's lifeless body and for the first time since she was drawn here, she felt the deepest of despair. Kagome cradled Sesshoumaru's body, her tears flowing from her eyes.
"Sesshoumaru.." She murmured.
Onigumo felt jealousy as he saw Kagome holding Sesshoumaru. Even in death, the bastard still held her heart! No matter. It was time to discard this body. He stood over Kagome, and said with a smile. "Do not cry..he will be alive soon enough."
Kagome's eyes narrowed and Onigumo could see the color deepen and darken like a stormy sea.
"You - bastard. You horrible bastard!" She shrieked as she pulled away from Sesshoumaru's lifeless body. "I will KILL you!!!!" A snarl came from Kagome's lips as her hair turned the solid silver-white of the demoness, and the stripes appeared on her face and wrists. Onigumo stepped back, entranced by her beauty, but he would not have her disobeying him - not now!
Kagome flew in mid-air intending to crash into Onigumo, her rage taking over completely. And then she saw the small sphere that contained her family and her friends that was in Onigumo's hand once more.
"Stop!" Onigumo ordered.
"No..." Kagome crashed to the ground, her rage disappearing as she saw them helpless in Onigumo's grasp. She was still tempered by her bonds as a human and where Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru would have gone beserk, Kagome could not - not completely.
Onigumo smiled evily at Kagome and said, "I admit you are delightful as a demon, Kagome..but you must be punished for your interference. I did warn you."
"Don't." Kagome held out her hand. "Don't hurt them. They've done nothing to you."
"Oh but they have in a sense. After all, why should they enjoy their lives when I, Onigumo had suffered?"
"Let them go." Kagome said firmly. "If it is me you want, Onigumo, then fine. Let them go." Kagome meant what she said. If she could make Onigumo believe that he had won, then she would get Sesshoumaru's soul back into his body. But she had to release the hold that he had on her friends and her family.
"But I already have you.." Onigumo's face broke into a nasty smile, made even nastier by the fact that it was in Jaken's face. He looked into the clear black sphere and mused.
"I think your friends are a bit - cold. Perhaps a warm - fire will do..."
"NO!" Kagome looked horrified and tried to reach for the sphere, but Onigumo tossed her aside, slamming her into one of the trees. Bending to Sesshoumaru's body, he retrieved the whip that the youkai-lord had used, and with one flick of the whip, he tied Kagome to the tree. She could not move, for Sesshoumaru's whip had been designed to paralyze it's victims.
"And now..I think we should make this a bit bigger - so that you can see more clearly, miko-incarnate." Onigumo gazed at the sphere and it grew just enough so that she could see them - her family, Sango and Miroku, trying to find some way to break free.
It was then that Kagome saw the fire within the sphere and her soul trembled in agony as she saw them scream....
Walking to Sesshoumaru, he rolled the demon-lord over and lifted him high in the air where he hung suspended. Onigumo's eyes gleamed as he stared at Sesshoumaru for a moment and then closed his eyes for the briefest of moments as he chanted something. Onigumo's life force and that of the youkai souls flew from Jaken to Sesshoumaru and Kagome managed to tear herself away from the small sphere to where she saw with horror the exchange. She saw Sesshoumaru's body start breathing once more and Jaken's body grow smaller, back to it's original size as the Shikon no Tama pulled out of Jaken's forehead. When the transfer was complete, Jaken fell to the ground with a thump and Kagome could not be sure if he was dead or not, but she could not take her eyes off of the being that dwelled in Sesshoumaru's body. He held the Shikon no Tama just above his slender clawed hand and he looked sideways at Kagome as his long silver hair blew gently in the wind.
And then Onigumo laughed, his deep voice echoing in the night..
